Pipe cleaning device



Oct. 26, 1965 L. SINGER 3,213,473

PIPE CLEANING DEVICE Filed Sept. 5, 1963 Fig.

02 l0 9 I 54 [/\04 I I r INVENTOR. LOUIS SINGER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,213,473 PIPE CLEANING DEVICE Louis Singer, 4800 N. 11th St., Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Sept. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 306,170 3 Claims. (Cl. -1043) The invention relates to a pipe cleaning device, and more particularly, to a device for rotating and feeding a pipe cleaning element or snake.

Although pipe cleaning devices for rotating and feeding a cleaning element provided with a cutting head at its end have been provided heretofore, such devices have been highly complex, expensive and difficult to operate.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a new and improved pipe cleaning device of rugged construction and high serviceability and which is readily portable from one location to another.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pipe cleaning device having a clamping means which can be actuated to engage a pipe cleaning element for rotating and feeding same, while becoming automatically disengaged upon release of its control lever.

Another object -of the invention is to provide a new and improved pipe cleaning device which includes a highly simplified means for feeding or retracting the elongated pipe cleaning element or snake during the performance of a cleaning operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pipe cleaning device having a carriage slidably supported by and removable from a support structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pipe cleaning device which is highly reliable and inexpensive to produce, operate, and maintain.

The above objects of the invention are achieved by providing a pipe cleaning device comprising a portable frame structure including a pair of track elements at its top, a carriage means including a platform with a plurality of guide elements mova'bly engaging the track element of the structure for positioning the carriage along the structure, a clamping means for receiving a cleaning element therein, rotatably mounted upon the platform of the carriage having means for controllably engaging the clamping means with the cleaning element, and drive means supported by the platform of the carriage for controllably rotating the clamping means.

The clamping means includes a guide tube for movably receivingtherethrough the cleaning element which may be of elongated coil wire form, a plurality of bearing units rotatably supporting the tube upon said platform in position parallel to the pair of track means, and a clamp unit having a portion secured at one end'of said tube for rotation with said tube and for receiving therethrough the cleaning element extending through the tube.

A control lever means may be provided for controllably actuating the control unit for engaging and clamping therewith the cleaning element extending therethrough for rotation by the drive means and longitudinal actuation by movement of the carriage means along the track elements of the structure for feeding or withdrawing the cleaning element from a pipe or other such object during a cleaning operation. The drive means includes a motor with a rotary drive shaft mounted on the platform of the carriage over the guide tube of the clamping means, a drive or wheel member attached to the shaft of the motor, a driven wheei member secured about the guide tube, and a coupling band element connecting the wheels for rotatably driving the guide tube.

The clamping means comprises a rotatable case having a tapered bore along its longitudinal axis, a clamping ring with a plurality of resiliently secured together segments having tapered outer surfaces for conforming with the surface of the bore and being at least partly received and slida'ble into the bore of the rotatable casing in the direction of its longitudinal axis, and a pressure casing positionable with respect to the rotatable casing in the direction of said longitudinal axis by actuation of the control lever for moving the clamping ring in the direction into the rotatable casing. The casings and the ring are provided with respective openings for receiving the cleaning element therethrough and the ring when actuated by the control lever in the direction into the bore of the rotatable casing causes the segments of the ring to be compressed by the tapering surfaces of the bore for firmly engaging the cleaning element passing therethrough and the rotatable casing at its engaged surfaces within the bore for causing the cleaning element to rotate with the rotatable casing. The segments of the ring are resiliently secured, tending to expand the ring out of engagement with the cleaning element passing therethrough, and the surface of the bore of said movable casing is sufliciently tapered to allow the ring to slide in the direction out of the bore due to the tendency of the ring to expand when the lever actuates the pressure casing along longitudinal axis in the direction opposite to that for removing the ring into the bore of the rotatable casing.

The above and further objects and aspects of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a pipe cleaning device embodying the invention,

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of a pipe cleaning device partially in section taken along the lines 2--2 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a to plan view of the device shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the securing means of the device shown in FIGURE 1 taken substantially on the line 44 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of the ring element of the securing means taken in the direction of the arrows 55 of FIGURE 4.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

Refer to the figures which disclose a pipe cleaning device 10 embodying the invention having a frame and support structure 12 comprising a pair of parallel bottom tubular members 14, 16 having front and rear cross bracing members 18, 20. The forward end of the tubular members 14, 16 rotatably support a pair of wheels 22, 24, while the rear ends are each provided with a V-shaped support foot 26, 28.

A pair of top angle brackets 30, 32 are respectively supported by a plurality of upwardly extending struts 34, 36, and 38 extending from the horizontal member 14 and similar struts 34', 36', and 38' extending upwardly from the horizontal member 16. The angle bar members 30, 32 are supported at the tops of the respective struts 34, 36, 38 and 34, 36', 38' by welding or other suitable means. Front and rear cross brace angle bars 40, 42 extend transversely between the longitudinal angle bars 30 and 32, for maintaining the angle bars 30, 32 in spaced parallel relationship to each other.

Each of the angle bars 30, 32 is provided with a horizontal flange 44 and a vertical flange 46. A pair of track members 48, 50 are respectively secured at the horizontal flange 44 of the angle members 30, 32 in parallel spaced relationship to each other along the longitudinal extending direction of the bar members 30, 32. The track members 48, 50 are provided with a substantially hollow rectangular configuration in which the opposite inwardly facing side walls thereof are each provided with a longitudinal slot 52.

A carriage means 54 comprising a substantially horizontal base plate 56 and longitudinally extending upstanding side flanges 58 includes pairs of guide elements or wheels 60, 62 for being received respectively within the cavities of the guide members 48, 50. The wheels 60, 62 are each rotatably secured at one end of a retaining shaft 63 which extends through a respective slot 52 of the members 48, 50 and has its other end secured with the plate 56. By such means, the platform 56 of the carriage 54 may be moved in the longitudinal direction along the track members 48, 50. The ends of the track members may be provided with bolt means 64 extending therethrough to prevent the accidental removal of the carriage 54 from the track means, while said bolt means 64 are readily removable to allow removal or replacement of the carriage means 54 with the supporting structure 12.

A bridge support 66 is mounted upon and secured with the platform 56 of the carriage means 54 and has mounted at the top thereof an electric motor 68 which drives a gear reduction unit 70 having a forwardly extending rotary drive shaft 72. The motor 68 is connected by a long flexible electrical cable 73 with a punction box 74 which is secured with the horizontally tubular member 16. The cable 73 is sufliciently long so that it does not restrict the movement of the carriage means 54 along its entire length provided by the track means 48, 50. The end 76 of the cable 73 is provided with a plug which is readily removable from the junction box 74, so that the carriage means 54 may be removed from the supporting structure 12 as described above.

The junction box 74 provides connection between the cable 73 and an electrical line 78 which connects to a motor control box 80. The motor control box is secured by a vertical plate 82 with the cross brace bar of the support structure 12 and has a cable 84 for connecting with a source of electrical power. The motor control box 80 is provided with a rotatable lever 86 having an off position, forward position, and a reverse position for respectively controllably tie-energizing the motor 68 energizing it to run in its forward direction and in its reverse direction. Energization of the motor 68 in the forward direction results in the rotation of the drive shaft 72 in one direction, while the positioning of the motor box lever 86 to the reverse position results in the rotation of the shaft 72 in the opposite direction.

The shaft 72 is provided at its end with a driver wheel 88 which is linked by a flexible coupling band 90 with a driven Wheel 92. A wire guard 93 may be provided for enclosing the rotating wheels 88, 92 and the drive band 90 for safety purposes.

The driven wheel 92 is concentrically positioned about and secured with a guide tube 94 of a securing means 95. The guide tube 94 is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis 96 by bearings provided by the forward and rear bearing blocks 98 and 100. The guide tube 94, as thus positioned, is parallel to and equidistant from the track means 48, and extends in the longitudinal direction under the bridge support 66 of the motor 68 and gear reduction unit 70. The rear end 102 of the tube 94 is provided with a flange 104 and a standard coupling 106 for connection to a guide tube similar to the guide tube 94 for extending the length of the guide tube 94 Where a cleaning element or snake of long length is to be used and Whipping action thereof is to be minimized when the cleaning element is rotated by the device 10.

The forward end 108 of the guide tube 94, as clearly shown by FIGURE 4, is secured with a rotatable casing or drum 110 of the securing unit 112 of the means 95. The casing 110 has a cylindrical outer surface 113 and an inner wall 114 of conical section tapering in the direction towards the guide tube 94, providing a bore opening therewithin. The guide tube 94, which is hollow, provides an opening therethrough 111 for receiving therein vides an opening 111 therethrough for receiving therein an elongated cleaning element or snake 116. The rotatable casing is also provided with an opening 118 in alignment with the opening 111 provided in the tube 94 for also receiving the elongated element 116 therethrough.

The end 108 of the guide tube 94 and the rotatable casing 110 are rotatably supported within a bearing block 120 extending between the flanges 58 of the front end of the platform 56 of the carriage means 54. The block 120 provides a ball bearing 122 in the central upwardly extending portion 124 of the block 120 of the thrust type having a race 126 non-rotatably secured with the portion 124 of the block 120 and a second rotatable race 127 engaging the shoulder 128 of the casing 110 for resisting thrust forces exerted thereon in the longitudinal direction towards the end 102 of the guide tube 94.

The securing unit 112 also includes a slit ring 130 shown in enlarged form in FIGURE 5 comprising a plurality of segments 132 which are resiliently connected together by coil springs 134 which have their ends received within cylindrical openings 136 in the segments 132. The ends of the springs 134 tend to move away from each other, expanding the ring 130. The segments 132 are provided with inner surfaces 138, providing an opening 140 through the ring 130 for allowing the passage and receipt therethrough of the elongated cleaning element 116. The opening 140 is small enough when the segments 132 are collapsed against the force of their springs 134 to firmly engage and clamp the elongated cleaning element 116 therewithin. Each of the segments 132 of the ring 130 is provided with an outer tapered surface 142 which is a section of a cone, conforming with the surface 114 of the rotatable casing 110. The ring 130 is receivable within the bore of the casing 110, as shown in FIGURE 4 with the outer surfaces 142 of the seg ments 132 of the ring 130 engaging the bore surface 114 of the casing 110, the ring 130 being slidable along the axis 96 of the guide tube 94 in the direction toward its end 102. The tapered slope of the bore 114 in that direction causes the compression of the segments 132 of the ring 130, reducing the size of the opening 140 provided by the inner surfaces 138.

The ring 130 is actuated in the direction towards the end 102 of the guide tube 94 along the axis 96 by a pressure plate or outer casing 144 of substantially cylindrical form having an opening therein 146 providing an extending end 148 which contacts and receives therewithin the end 150 of the rotatable casing 110. The opening 146 is of substantially cylindrical form and communicates with a central opening 150 in the front wall 152 of the casing 144 through which the elongated flexible cleaning element 116 may freely extend. A thrust bearing 154 is positioned proximate the wall 152 within the casing 144 with its central opening in alignment with the opening 150 of the casing 144 and having a stationary race 156 secured with the casing 144 and an exposed race 158 rotatable with respect to the first race 156 and controllably engaging the end wall 160 of the ring 130 for rotation therewith.

The casing 144 is provided with diametrically opposite outwardly extending pins 162 which are received within respective slots 164 in the arms 172, 174 of a U bracket 166 (see FIGURE 1) which is secured at its top with a forwardly extending lever 168 to provide a control means 170 for the securing unit 112. Each of the arms 172, 174 of the bracket 166 (see FIGURE 4) is pivotally secured by bolt means 176, 178 with a respective horizontally extending member 180, 182 secured at its end 184, 186 with the central upwardly extending portion 124 of the bearing block 120.

When a downwardly exterted force is applied to the end of the lever 168 of the control means 170, the bracket 166 is caused to pivot about the bolt means 176, 178 in the counterclockwise direction, exerting a force upon the outer casing 144, urging it in the direction towards the end 102 of the guide tube 94 along the axis 96. This results in the application of a pressure by the casing 144 on the end wall 160 of the ring 130, urging the ring in the axial direction into the bore of the rotatable casing 110. This movement, as explained before, results in the contracting or collapsing of the segments 132 of the ring 130, causing the ring to firmly secure and grip the elongated element 116 or snake passing through its opening 140. At this time, pressure is also applied between the contacting surfaces 142, 114 respectively of the ring 130 and rotatable casing 110, resulting in the ring 130 firmly frictionally engaging and rotating with the rotatable casing 110. The pressure exerted on the ring 130 by the casing 144 is through the bearing 154, allowing the ring 130 to rotate freely with respect thereto. Of course, the connection of the outer casing 144 with the control means 170 prevents its relative rotation and allows only its movement in the direction along the axis 96. Similarly, the bearing 122 receives and transmits the thrust force exerted upon the ring 130 and casing 110 for exertion upon the bearing block 120, thereby preventing the movement in the axial direction of the casing 110 and the guide tube 94 connected therewith.

When downward force is removed from the control lever 168 resulting in the removal of pressure applied to the wall 160 of the ring 130, the ring 130 moves in the direction out of the bore of the casing 110 in the direction away from the end 120 of the guide tube 94. This is caused by the tendency of the ring 130 to expand under action of its springs 134, and since the tapered slope of the bore surface 114 is made sufiiciently great to easily allow such outward movement. This movement automatically results in the release of an elongated cleaning element 116 which may have been clamped within the opening 140 of the ring 130. Of course, this is an important factor in case of an emergency where the release of the control means 170 automatically results in the disconnecting of the snake or cleaning element 114, stopping its rotation or actuation.

In operation, the pipe cleaning device may readily be transported from one location to another location where it is required. In doing this, the carriage 54 may quickly be removed from the supporting structure 12 for ease of handling. The elongated cleaning element 116, such as a snake comprising a flexible coiled wire element, is fed through the opening in the guide tube 94, then through the openings provided therefor in the clamping unit 112 with the control lever 168 in its released condition. The diameter of the snake and the coupling 200 provided at the front end thereof provides sufficient clearance for same to be readily received and slipped through the openings and passages of the pipe cleaning device 10. After the end of the element 116 with the coupling 200 has been extended through and past the securing unit 112, a cleaning tool 202 or other such means well known in the art may be secured with the coupling 200 of the cleaning element 116. The cleaning tool 202 may then be placed into the opening of a pipe or like means which is to be cleaned by sufiiciently advancing the cleaning element 116 to its required position.

In advancing or feeding the element 116, the carriage 54 may be moved to the rear ends 204 of the tracks 48, 50 with the securing unit 112 in its disengaged position, so that the element 116 is not actuated therewith along the longitudinal or axial direction 96. Upon its deposition at the end of the track 102, the clamping unit 112 may be caused to engage the element 116 by the application of a downward force on the end of the lever 168. The element 116 may now be advanced in the forward direction by moving the carriage along its tracks 48, 50 in the forward direction. The rate and the amonut of advance may thus be directly controlled by the operator in manually actuating the carriage 54. Of course, mechanical means may also be provided for moving and controlling the motion of the carriage along the track means 48, 50. This action may be continued for feeding the element 116 in the forward direction. Where the element 116 must be removed, the clamping action is applied during the forward and backward movement of the carriage means 54 along the track means 48, 50 only when the carriaige means 54 is moved from its forward position towards the rear end 204 of the tracks 48, 50. This action, of course, may be continued until the element 116 is completely removed from the tube or means being cleaned.

Since it may be desirable to rotate the element 116 when it is being advanced, this is accomplished by the motor 68 through the gear reduction unit 70 and the coupling means provided by the wheels 88, 92 joined by the band when the lever 86 of the motor control box 80 is placed in its forward or reverse position. Thus, when the lever 168 of the securing means 95 is actuated for gripping the element 116, the element is rotated in its forward or reverse direction by the energization of the motor 68, while the unit 116 is advanced or retracted by the movement of the carriage 54 along the tracks 48, 50 of the supporting structure 12. If the motor control box 80 is placed in its off position, the element 116 may be advanced or retracted without the rotary action provided by the motor 68.

The feeding and retracting means of the pipe cleaning device 10 is of highly simplified form and allows the accurate control of the rate at which the element 116 is advanced or retracted. This simplicity is not afforded by prior art devices which are highly complex and costly, and do not provide the flexibility afforded by the disclosed device. The ease of handling of the cleaning element 116 and the efficiency resulting from the utilization of the device 10 are of great advantage as are the reliability and durability embodied therein.

It will, of course, be understood that the description and drawings, herein contained, are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A pipe cleaning device comprising a portable frame structure including a pair of track elements at its top; a carriage means including a platform with a plurality of guide elements movably engaging the track elements of said structure for freely positioning said carriage along said structure; a clamping means for receiving and engaging a conformable non-rigid elongated cleaning element therethrough rotatably mounted upon the platform of said carriage and having means for providing for releasable engagement of said clamping means with said cleaning element at successive locations along its length; and drive means supported by the platform of said carriage for controllably rotating said clamping means; said clamping means including an elongated guide tube extending along the track elements of said frame struc ture for movably receiving therethrough said cleaning element of elongated coiled wire form, a plurality of bearing units rotatably supporting said tube upon said platform in position parallel to said pair of track means, a clamp unit having a portion secured at an end of said tube for rotation with said tube and for receiving therethrough the cleaning element extending through said tube, and a control lever for controllably actuating said control unit for engaging and clamping therewith the cleaning element extending therethrough for rotation by said drive means and for controllably clamping said element with said clamping means for longitudinal actuation of said cleaning element by movement of said carriage means along the track elements of said structure for feeding or withdrawing said cleaning element from a pipe during a pipe cleaning operation; said clamp unit comprising a rotatable casing having a tapered bore along its longitudinal axis, a clamping ring with a plurality of resiliently secured together segments having tapered outer surfaces for conforming with the surface of said bore and being at least partly received and slideable into the bore of said rotatable casing in the direction of its longitudinal axis, and a pressure casing positionable with respect to said rotatable casing in the direction of said longitudinal axis by actuation of said control lever for moving said ring in the direction into said rotatable casing; said casings and said ring providing respective openings for receiving and said cleaning element therethrough; said ring remaining stationary except when actuated by said control lever in the direction into the bore of said rotatable casing for causing the segments of said ring to be compressed by the tapered surface of said bore for firmly engagaing said cleaning element passing therethrough and said rotatable casing at its engaged surfaces Within said bore for causing said cleaning element to rotate with said rotatable casing; said drive means including a motor with a rotating driveshaft mounted on the platform of said carriage means over the guide tube of said clamping means, a driver wheel member attached to the shaft of said motor, a driven wheel member secured about said guide tube, and a coupling band element coupling said Wheels for rotatably driving said guide tube.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said rotatable casing is secured to and rotates with said guide tube of said clamping means and said pressure casing is provided with a thrust bearing for engaging and actuating said clamping ring.

3. The device of claim 2 in which the segments of said ring are resiliently secured tending to expand said ring out of engagement with said cleaning element passing therethrough and the surface of the bore of said movable casing is sufliciently tapered to allow said ring to slide in the direction out of said bore due to the tendency of said ring to expand when said lever actuates said pressure casing along said longitudinal axis in the direction opposite to that for moving said ring into the bore of said rotatable casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,008,100 7/35 Ford 15104.03 2,201,733 5/40 Kollmann 15-104.3 2,278,067 3/42 Emery 15-104.3 2,460,149 1/49 Schoensiegel 15-1043 X 2,467,849 4/49 OBrien 15104.3 2,705,642 4/55 Chasar 15-1043 X 2,769,191 11/56 Hunt et al 15104.3 2,775,439 12/56 McCarthy 17322 X 2,940,099 6/60 Kollmann 15104.3 2,976,942 3/ 61 Pitcher 62 X 3,075,218 1/63 Kollmann 15-1043 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PIPE CLEANING DEVICE COMPRISING A PORTABLE FRAME STRUCTURE INCLUDING A PAIR OF TRACK ELEMENTS AT ITS TOP; A CARRIAGE MEANS INCLUDING A PLATFORM WITH A PLURALITY OF GUIDE ELEMENTS MOVABLY ENGAGING THE TRACK ELEMENTS OF SAID STRUCTURE FOR FREELY POSITIONING SAID CARRIAGE ALONG SAID STRUCTURE; A CLAMPING MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND ENGAGING A CONFORMABLE NON-RIGID ELONGATED CLEANING ELEMENT THERETHROUGH ROTATABLY MOUNTED UPON THE PLATFORM OF SAID CARRIAGE AND HAVING MEANS FOR PROVIDING FOR RELEASABLE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID CLAMPING MEANS WITH SAID CLEANING ELEMENT AT SUCCESSIVE LOCATIONS ALONG ITS LENGTH; AND DRIVE MEANS SUPPORTED BY THE PLATFORM OF SAID CARRIAGE FOR CONTROLLABLY ROTATING SAID CLAMPING MEANS; SAID CLAMPING MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED GUIDE TUBE EXTENDING ALONG THE TRACK ELEMENTS OF SAID FRAME STRUCTURE FOR MOVABLY RECEIVING THERETHROUGH SAID CLEANING ELEMENT OF ELONGATED COILED WIRE FORM, A PLURALITY OF BEARING UNITS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID TUBE UPON SAID PLATFORM IN POSITION PARALLEL TO SAID PAIR OF TRACK MEANS, A CLAMP UNIT HAVING A PORTION SECURED AT AN END OF SAID TUBE FOR ROTATION WITH SAID TUBE AND FOR RECEIVING THERETHROUGH THE CLEANING ELEMENT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID TUBE, AND A CONTROL LEVER FOR CONTROLLABLY ACTUATING SAID CONTROL UNIT FOR ENGAGING AND CLAMPING THEREWITH THE CLEANING ELEMENT EXTENDING THERETHROUGH OR ROTATION BY SAID DRIVE MEANS AND FOR CONTROLLABLY CLAMPING SAID ELEMENT WITH SAID CLAMPING MEANS FOR LONGITUDINAL ACTUATION OF SAID CLEANING ELEMENT BY MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE MEANS ALONG THE TRACK ELEMENTS OF SAID STRUCTURE FOR FEEDING OR WITHDRAWING SAID CLEANING ELEMENT FROM A PIPE DURING A PIPE CLEANING OPERATING; SAID CLAMP UNIT COMPRISING A ROTATABLE CASING HAVING A TAPERED BORE ALONG ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, A CLAMPING RING WITH A PLURALITY OF RESILIENTLY SECURED TOGETHER SEGMENTS HAVING TAPERED OUTER SURFACES FOR CONFORMING WITH THE SURFACE OF SAID BORE AND 